


Lance Watched

by Jelli_Mac



Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: A lot of my Joshtin is Romantic Angst, Engagement Party, F/M, Joshtin, M/M, Romantic Angst, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28440414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jelli_Mac/pseuds/Jelli_Mac
Summary: Inspired by a prompt for fuckyeahjoshtinLance said...They all did their celebrating at Justin’s engagement party, except for Joey, because Joey had to work. Meaning….JC was there…JC was there, but he was visibly upset.
Relationships: JC Chasez/Justin Timberlake
Kudos: 2





	Lance Watched

The music was entertaining. The food was good. The beers were cold. There wasn’t even a cloud in the sky that warm June day but Lance could have sworn he saw a cloud over JC’s head. To anyone else, it looked as though JC was enjoying the party. To anyone who knew him, they would see the tension in his jaw, the slight frown on his face and they would know he was upset. Not that anyone was paying much attention to anyone other than the happy couple they had all come together to celebrate except Lance. Lance had been watching his bandmate since he noticed the frown. He had been trying to figure out for the better part of half an hour what was bugging JC. He knew that there was some leftover tension between the five of them but even though they were not all there they had gotten along well enough at Chris’ 40th. Maybe it had nothing to do with that. Maybe things with JC’s new girlfriend Kate…Kristy….Kathryn…; Lance couldn’t remember her name, were not going as well as they seemed. Lance hoped that whatever was upsetting JC could at least be momentarily deterred by one of his patented hugs and a shared beer could help. He started to make his way over to his friend’s side when he saw JC’s brow knot as his eyes made contact with Justin’s.

‘Shit,’ Lance thought, ‘Damn not this crap again.’ It dawned on Lance exactly what was upsetting JC. Lance watched Justin look at JC questioningly and saw JC’s face darken in response. To Justin’s credit, his happy façade dropped for only a moment before he signaled to JC to meet him inside in a moment. Lance watched JC excuse himself from the group of people that he had been pretending to listen to and headed for the door that led inside.

Lance knew JC and Justin's whole story. Heck all three of them did because each of them had been caught in the storm at least twice. Lance was even sure that Britney and Bobbie still had a running bet whether or not they would end up together. JC and Justin had had a thing off and on for what seemed like forever. It always started hot and heavy; one of the reasons why one tour bus turned into five. It might even simmer down for a few months. One time it seemed like it was going to work, they were together for almost a year. Then the next thing you knew you were caught in the middle of the next world war and they didn’t want anything to do with each other. Lance hadn’t seen anything go one between them since the reign of “Cowman sure as hell not double d’s no ass” better known as Cameron Diaz had ended. When that one had blown up, it left them both with visible scars. JC had gone back under his cloak of dark clothes and Justin had gone off the grid somewhere in New York. When Justin had finally surfaced, he was almost as thin as they had been in Germany and JC was profusely sorry. Lance knew that they pretty much stayed clear of each other these days but it looked like there might be some fresh wounds. Lance watched Justin make his way towards the house as he pulled himself from his thoughts. Chris caught Lance’s eye and looked at him curiously as Justin walked past him. Lance shrugged his shoulders and followed Justin inside only just far enough behind so Justin wouldn’t know he was there.

Lance saw that there were only a handful of people inside, mostly getting more food or drinks. He easily spotted Justin round a corner to where he knew Justin's office was. Lance wasn’t one for eavesdropping but he stationed himself just outside of the office door so he could find out what was going on. He told himself that he was doing it so that he could deter anyone who might interrupt them.

“So I guess congratulations,” that was JC. His voice sounded tight and bitter.

“Yeah, I guess. What of it C?” Justin sounded a little defensive but all together calm. Lance heard JC snicker and could imagine the twisted smile that went with it. “What of it?” JC bit out. “What of it? I’m sorry but wasn’t it just last year that you had wanted to marry me?”

They were quiet for a moment; Lance could hear JC’s breaths becoming uneven. When Justin finally spoke it wasn’t more than a whisper, “I’m sorry.” Lance barely heard it but it didn’t matter, JC repeated what Justin said at a more auditable level.

“You’re sorry? You’re fucking sorry!” Lance could hear JC’s breaths becoming ragged and louder. Then all of sudden they slowed down. Lance could have sworn he heard a whimper come from JC before he spoke, “When am I ever going to stop wasting my time on you?”

“JC, don’t be that way. The time you and I have had together was….it was not wasted time.” The sound of skin hitting skin lightly rang in Lance’s ears. Since neither of them was likely to hit each other Lance assumed that Justin must have reached out to JC while he was talking and JC swatted his hand away. “Josh, you know that I loved you when we were together. It’s just….I don’t think….”

“You just what J? You can’t be ‘Justin Timberlake’ and married to a guy? Same old shit Justin. I thought you had moved on from that?”

“I did…”

“So what happened?”

Justin paused, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know,” JC sighed. “How did you two even end up engaged? Did you ask her or did she ask you?”

“Neither.”

“What?” JC exclaimed. “Why are you even getting married then?”

It was Justin’s turn to sigh, “Someone else said, ‘You crazy kids should get married.’ I looked at her and before I could say anything she said, ‘I guess we should.’ So now we’re engaged.”

“Well, that’s stupid. If that was the way things worked then you and I would have been married now for over 10 years. Do you even want to marry her?”

“Kind of.”

“Kind of?”

“I want her to be a mother to my kids.”

“Justin, remember we talked…,” Justin cut JC off. “I know Josh and I wanted more than anything to be a parent with you. If all I can have now is you being my kids’ favorite uncle then I’ll take it, but let’s be honest here for a second. How well do you think a marriage between the two of us would have even worked?”

“Justin you said…,” JC started but was interrupted by Justin again.

“I know what I said.” It sounded like Justin was reverting to his old habit of cutting JC off. Lance would have found it funny if I wasn’t for the seriousness of their conversation.

“We keep coming back to each other,” JC paused. When he spoke again, his voice was lower and Lance had to strain to hear what he said. “You know nothing is keeping us apart but each other.”

“I know,” Justin’s voice sounded muffled. Lance figured JC had pulled him in close. JC asked, “So what is keeping you from me this time, Just?”

“I guess…my fear is too strong. I love you so much Josh but I’m just afraid.”

“You do know that things have changed in the past 20 years, right? The things that we had grown up hearing about that you’re afraid of are no longer a problem.” Lance heard JC snicker at this.

“I know but the minds of those who feel that they can decide our fate with the power they wield or those who we look to for acceptance may not have changed.” Lance was shocked by Justin’s words and had to wonder when he had become so intelligent. He heard strength in Justin’s word that hadn’t been there in the past. Justin continued, “I’m not afraid of not being accepted. That I can handle. I’m afraid of what more they can do to you. I am afraid of people not accepting you because of me. You’ve seen how much shit the women I have dated get for just dating me. Imagine how people would react if we were together. Yeah, they would be shocked at first. But can you imagine the anger? Anger that’s all aimed at you. I couldn’t do that to you. JC you are everything to me. You are the greatest person, musician…lover that I have ever known. I’m afraid that everyone will hate you so quickly that I won’t be able to show them…how much I love you. I won’t do that to you. I refuse to be the reason why anyone will love you less.” Lance heard Justin sniff and take a deep breath to steady himself, “So if I have to lock my love for you deep inside…and do things that make my heart bleed…then that is what I have to do. I love you and I would do it for only you.”

Lance could tell by the time Justin had finished speaking he was barely holding it together. They were both very silent. Lance heard Justin sniff a couple of times signaling that he was crying and JC whispering softly to Justin. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Justin spoke again, “Josh, I’m glad you came. I haven’t seen you in a while and I missed you but if it hurts you to stay then go. I know it hurts me every time I see you with another girl and I am dreading the day you finally find the right girl…rather a girl worthy of marrying you. It is not a day that I am looking forward to. I just hope that I maybe kind of sort of like her slash not want to murder her every time I see her.”

Lance heard them laugh together softly and nothing much else. He took a chance and peeked around the corner of the door. Lance saw JC and Justin kissing each other desperately. Lance watched as JC’s hands gripped tightly at Justin’s waist and hips pulling him flush to his body while Justin wrapped his arms around JC’s neck and gripped passionately at JC’s hair. Lance watched them separate only just so much, JC’s hands still gripping at Justin’s waist and Justin’s hand lovingly caressing either side of JC’s face. Lance saw JC’s lips move but couldn’t hear what he said. He heard Justin sniff again and watched JC kiss him sweetly but quickly. Just then Justin made to turn away from JC and Lance hurriedly made his way back towards the door that led back outside. He could have sworn he heard one last thing exchanged between the two of them but was too far away to hear it. Lance grabbed two bottled drinks on his way out the door but didn’t go very far. Not very long after he walked back outside Justin followed.

“You okay J?” Lance asked stopping Justin in his tracks. Justin looked at him puzzled but then smiled at him softly. They all knew that Lance was always watching and somehow knew everything so Justin didn’t question Lance. Lance learned into Justin and let him hug him. When Justin finally pulled away, Lance handed him one of the drinks he had picked up. Justin thanked him, Lance watched him pull on his mask of happiness, and went back to his fiancé. Lance made his way over to the group of people that Chris was entertaining. He handed Chris the other bottle as Chris asked, “What was up with them?”

“Same old shit,” Lance replied, shrugged, and sat down to people watch for a while. Sooner or later someone brought out a cake, everyone clapped and the happy couple thanked everyone for coming. Lance looked around at everyone and noticed that someone was missing. JC wasn’t there anymore. It would seem that Lance had missed him slipping out with whatever her name was. ‘Oh well,’ Lance thought and made a mental note to bring a bottle of JC’s favorite wine over to his house to cheer him up tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> I used to never proofread any of my work. There were a lot of errors. 
> 
> I also used to really hate capitals and punctuation.
> 
> Thank you and bless anyone who read this in 2015.


End file.
